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Beacon takes chances on the kids we admit. We look at more than just those with the best test scores and the highest grades. With specially tailored assessment tools and interviewing techniques, we gauge each applicant’s ability and potential and then see past rough situations to the individual behind the circumstances and the zip code. The faculty seems able to decipher the personal attributes of grit, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism and perseverance that indicate strength of character. It’s hard to quantify, but our skilled professionals have been in the education and social work worlds long enough to be able to tell who can make it in this demanding environment that requires straddling two worlds.

Students study hard during this initiation into rigorous academics and in addition to the demands of math, history, English and creative writing, they learn leadership, responsibility, and independence. During a few days on Martha’sVineyard, they meet a master boat builder, an author, a journalist and a farmer, among others. They sail on a schooner and learn to navigate the challenge of chatting with adults at an annual fundraising dinner. Twice a week they read to preschoolers at Temple Israel’s early childhood center. They watch Shakespeare outdoors, meet professors and business leaders, learn to row from an Olympic gold medalist and take swimming lessons at Charles River Aquatics. It’s not a traditional education.

Getting Started

Nomination

Each student applying to Beacon Academy must be nominated. A nominator is an adult other than a parent who knows the applicant well and can testify that he or she would be a positive member of our school community. Encourage a student to apply to Beacon by making a nomination.

Visit and Interview

All applicants are required to visit Beacon Academy and complete an interview with at least one of our faculty members. The best way to complete the visit and interview process is to attend an Admission Day. For any questions regarding upcoming Admission Days or to schedule a visit outside of Admission Day, please email Keely Jones at kjones@beaconacademy.org.

Standardized Tests

All applicants are expected to take the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). These tests are administered by Beacon Academy (at Simmons College) and at various test sites around Massachusetts. Register for the SSAT by contacting your current school or Beacon Academy, or by registering directly through the SSAT website. Our Test Center Code is 1526.

All applicants and their parents are required to submit an application. Although we do not have an application deadline, we encourage students to apply early as we have a competitive rolling admissions process.

A complete application includes:

Student Information Form

Student Essay Questions

Parent/Guardian Questionnaire

Math Teacher Recommendation

English Teacher Recommendation

Administrator Recommendation

Nominator Form

Application Instructions

If you are ready to start our application, please take a few minutes to review the instructions.

The online application has seven forms to be submitted.

To get started, students alone or students and their parent/guardian(s) must complete the Student Information Form. Once the form is submitted, the applicant and his/her parent/guardian(s) will receive the second part of the application by email. Valid email accounts, which are are checked often, should be provided for both the applicant and the parent/guardian. If you do not have an email address, you may create a free Gmail account. Once you submit an email address, please use it consistently throughout the application process.

After the Student Information Form has been submitted, the applicant will receive an email with six links.

The first link is to the Student Essay Questions

The second link is to the Parent/Guardian Questionnaire, which must be completed by your parent/guardian. The primary parent/guardian(s) will also receive an email asking him or her to complete the Parent/Guardian Questionnaire.

The next three links are to recommender forms. Fill out the name and email address for your math teacher, English teacher, and school administrator in the appropriate forms. (Your school administrator may be a counselor, an advisor, or a vice principal.) Beacon Academy will send the teachers and administrator an email asking them to submit Recommendation Forms.

Each student applying to Beacon Academy must be nominated. Fill out the name and email address of your nominator and Beacon Academy will send the nominator an email with the Nomination Recommendation Form. A nominator is an adult who knows you well will testify that you are a great candidate for our school. In some situations, the student’s nominator will be the same person as your math teacher, English teacher, or school administrator. If your nominator is also a teacher or administrator, enter the person’s name in both forms.

Note: If you received an email saying you were nominated to apply to Beacon Academy, you must still enter the nominator’s name and email into the Nominator Form. After we receive the completed form, the Nomination Recommendation Form will be sent to the nominator.

If you do not have access to a computer with Internet access, you may call Beacon Academy at 617-423-2266 to make an appointment to use one of our computers to submit your application.

In addition to an application, students must complete the following:

Student and Family Interviews (completed on Admission Day or a separately scheduled visit day)

Tuition and Financial Aid

Beacon Academy’s tuition is $30,000. Because of our needs-based scholarship program, we are able to provide financial aid grants that meet 100% of our families’ demonstrated need. It is very important to us that each family makes a financial investment in the total cost of this opportunity. We will work with you individually to determine a figure that is equitable based on your financial circumstances.

Families will be expected to complete the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS). The PFS is used by schools across the country to help assess families’ financial aid needs. To access the PFS, visit the National Association of Independent Schools’ (NAIS) School and Student Services (SSS) website. SSS uses the income and asset information in the financial aid application itself to assess the family situation and automatically applies a waiver if the family qualifies. Qualifying families will simply bypass all payment screens when their PFS is complete. Please contact us if your family does not qualify for the fee waver.

The financial aid program is open to students of any race, creed, and national or ethnic origin. A candidate’s request for financial aid does not affect his/her chances for admission. Decisions regarding admission and financial aid are made separately. Due to processing times, it is necessary to apply for financial aid at the same time you apply for admission to Beacon Academy. Families will receive notification on financial aid when they receive notification on admission to Beacon Academy.

Instructions for Nominators

Do you know a student who will work hard and thrive at Beacon Academy? If so, we want to hear from you!

A nominator is an adult who knows a student well and can testify that the student would be a great fit for Beacon academy. To learn more about Beacon Academy, please call 617-423-2266.

Make a nomination. Once this form is complete, the student will receive an email encouraging him or her to begin Beacon’s application online. Once the student has completed his or her initial portion, you will be asked to complete the Nominator Recommendation Form, which will allow you provide Beacon with a detailed recommendation of the student through the online Nominator Recommendation Form.

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Beacon Academy, an extra year of school between 8th and 9th grades, prepares smart, hard-working and kind urban students for success in independent high schools.
It is the first school of its kind in the country.